Easy lacing system for article of footwear

Abstract

A closure mechanism for an article of footwear comprising a tongue, adjustable lace, toggle, and a tether is provided. The adjustable lace operatively connects the lateral sidewall and the medial sidewall along a throat opening, the tongue extends between the lateral sidewall and the medial sidewall within the throat opening, the toggle is coupled to and movable along the adjustable lace and fixedly attached to the tongue, and the tether is operatively coupled to each of the tongue and the toggle. The closure mechanism provides ease of use with a single motion, one-handed, transition from an open position to a tightened position by exerting a traction force in a predetermined direction on the adjustable lace, and from a tightened position to an open position by exerting a traction force in the predetermined direction on the tether. This disclosure may be particularly beneficial to wearers having limited dexterity or mobility.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A closure mechanism for adjusting a size of an ankle opening of a footwear upper, the footwear upper defining an interior volume and the ankle opening permitting access to the interior volume, the closure mechanism comprising:
 an adjustable lace couplable to the footwear upper; 
 a toggle configured such that the adjustable lace is slidable through the toggle to move the toggle between a first position on the adjustable lace and a second position on the adjustable lace; and 
 a tether fixable to a tongue of the footwear upper at a first tether attachment point and fixed to the toggle at a second tether attachment point; 
 wherein the toggle includes a base unit having:
 a body; 
 a tether attachment flange extending from a side of the body with the second tether attachment point on the tether attachment flange; and 
 a tongue attachment flange extending from another side of the body orthogonal to the side of the body from which the tether attachment flange extends and operatively securable to the tongue. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The closure mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein moving the toggle from the first position on the adjustable lace to the second position on the adjustable lace operatively reduces a size of the ankle opening; and
 wherein moving the toggle from the second position on the adjustable lace to the first position on the adjustable lace operatively increases the size of the ankle opening. 
 
     
     
       3. The closure mechanism of  claim 2 , wherein application of a traction force on the adjustable lace in a predetermined direction moves the toggle from the first position on the adjustable lace to the second position on the adjustable lace, and application of a traction force on the tether in the predetermined direction moves the toggle from the second position on the adjustable lace to the first position on the adjustable lace. 
     
     
       4. The closure mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pull tab operatively coupled to the adjustable lace. 
 
     
     
       5. The closure mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein pulling the pull tab slides the adjustable lace through the toggle to move the toggle from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
       6. The closure mechanism of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a fastener configured to selectively couple the pull tab to the footwear upper. 
 
     
     
       7. The closure mechanism of  claim 6 , wherein the fastener comprises a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
       8. The closure mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the toggle is a spring-loaded toggle mechanically engaged with the adjustable lace. 
     
     
       9. The closure mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the toggle is frictionally engaged with the adjustable lace. 
     
     
       10. The closure mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable lace comprises a first color at the first position and a second color different than the first color between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
       11. The closure mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the base unit has an interior slot; 
 the toggle includes a slot member movable within the interior slot; and 
 the adjustable lace is engaged with the toggle between the base unit and the slot member. 
 
     
     
       12. The closure mechanism of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a spring element disposed in the interior slot and urging the slot member out of the interior slot. 
 
     
     
       13. The closure mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the base unit has a first surface and an opposite second surface; 
 the base unit has a first plurality of apertures in the first surface and in communication with the interior slot; 
 the base unit has a second plurality of apertures in the second surface and in communication with the interior slot; 
 the second plurality of apertures is aligned with the first plurality of apertures; and 
 the adjustable lace extends through the first plurality of apertures and through the second plurality of apertures. 
 
     
     
       14. The closure mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the base unit has an opening at the interior slot in a surface extending between the first surface and the second surface; and 
 the slot member extends out of the opening. 
 
     
     
       15. The closure mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the slot member has a third plurality of apertures extending therethrough; and 
 the adjustable lace further extends through the third plurality of apertures. 
 
     
     
       16. The closure mechanism of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the third plurality of apertures is at least partially aligned with the first plurality of apertures and with the second plurality of apertures when the toggle is moving between the first position and the second position, and is out of alignment with the first plurality of apertures and with the second plurality of apertures when the toggle is in the first position and when the toggle is in the second position. 
 
     
     
       17. The closure mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the apertures of the first plurality of apertures have a keyhole shape. 
     
     
       18. The closure mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body defines an interior slot with an opening at an outer surface of the body; and 
 the side of the body from which the tether attachment flange extends is opposite from the outer surface of the body having the opening of the interior slot. 
 
     
     
       19. The closure mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a strip of material configured to extend through the tongue attachment flange to couple the toggle to the footwear upper. 
 
     
     
       20. The closure mechanism of  claim 1  in combination with the footwear upper, wherein the first tether attachment point on the tongue and the second tether attachment point on the tether attachment flange are each positionable on a longitudinal midline of the footwear upper.